‘Sweeteners’ offered in conservation land deal

The proposed hydro-electric project could reduce the flow of the Waitaha River to a trickle. Photo: Neil Silverwood

Westpower has offered to gift $250,000 to a struggling polytechnic if it receives approval to access the conservation land it wants to build a hydro-electric plant on reports Farah Hancock for Newsroom.

A year after the Department of Conservation (DOC) indicated it would make a final decision on Westpower’s application to access conservation land, it has contacted people who made public submissions to the proposal with Westpower’s additional offers.

If it commences, the $100 million project which will divert water from the West Coast's Waitaha River to create electricity, is expected to create 20 full-time jobs in a region potentially facing job losses as the Government cracks down on approving mining activity on conservation land.

DOC’s handling of the application has been called biased by Forest & Bird.

DOC’s 2016 approval in principle of the hydro-electric project generated a backlash of opposition. At least 2864 submissions were made through a Forest & Bird template, and a Green Party submission was signed by 2343 people when DOC opened its decision to public feedback . . .